Patients Welcome the Sickle Cell Disease Mobile Application to Record SymptomsviaTechnology (SMART)

Abstract

The widespread use of mobile phones among patients provides a unique opportunity for the development of mobile health intervention designed specifically for sickle cell disease, which will improve self-management as well as health care delivery. Our objective was to determine the receptiveness of patients with sickle cell disease to technology and a mobile application (app) designed for sickle cell disease. Phase I included 100 patients who completed a survey inquiring about receptiveness to technology and use of mobile devices to self-manage and communicate with providers. Phase II surveyed 17 additional patients who tested a newly developed sickle cell disease app, to report its usability and utility. In Phase I, on a 0-10 Likert scale where 0 is not comfortable, and 10 is extremely comfortable, 87.0% of participants reported >5 comfort level using a mobile device for health care management. Participants were comfortable with texting (81.0%) and emailing (77.0%) but not with social media (40.0%). Most participants (84.0%) owned computer devices (desktops, laptops, tablets, or iPads), and 92.0% owned mobile devices. In Phase II, participants reported that the app tested was useful to track pain (88.0%), and 94.0% reported that it was easy to use, practical, and useful for health self-management. All reported that the app was useful to help one communicate with providers. Following the use of our app, patients found it an extremely valuable tool for tracking pain, health management, and communicating with providers. We conclude that mobile technology might provide an appropriate venue for sickle cell disease healthcare management.

Development and evaluation of iManage: A self‐management app co‐designed by adolescents with sickle cell disease

“…Usability testing data indicate that AYAs would use a mobile self‐management app and would find it beneficial for tracking health behaviors. These findings are consistent with other studies demonstrating the feasibility of SCD‐specific apps to manage pain . SCD‐specific apps could be used clinically to help patients and providers better understand the frequency and intensity of symptoms and the effectiveness of self‐management strategies (i.e., medications and nonpharmacological approaches), ultimately resulting in improvements in overall disease management.…”

“…This is further supported by high rates of mobile technology use by African‐American and Hispanic/Latino AYAs, as the majority of patients with SCD in the United States are African‐American or Hispanic/Latino . Moreover, recent studies support the feasibility and utility of mobile apps for engaging patients with SCD to manage pain and track medication adherence . Although these are important aspects of self‐management, handling SCD requires additional tasks such as attending preventive visits, staying hydrated, and knowing the steps to take when symptoms escalate.…”

Technology Access and Smartphone App Preferences for Medication Adherence in Adolescents and Young Adults With Sickle Cell Disease

“…Our high access rates were similar to that reported by others, including the Pew Research center and Shah et al., who found that adults with SCD in their study owned mobile and computer devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, or iPads . A unique feature of our study, however, is its focus on AYA with SCD and the additional data related to the type of phones and operating systems used by our participants.…”

Mobile health intervention for youth with sickle cell disease: Impact on adherence, disease knowledge, and quality of life

“…extend provider communication and impact. 7 The widespread use of mobile/smartphones among patients with SCD, 8 including adolescents, 9 provides a unique opportunity to develop and implement mHealth interventions designed for SCD. Promising intervention efforts have integrated mHealth technology across pediatric groups 7 and more recently, in SCD.…”

“…Mobile technology has been utilized within pediatric SCD to increase problem solving and address adherence barriers, 10 improve symptom monitoring during cognitive-behavioral therapy, 11 and improve comprehensive disease management. 8,12 These studies have indicated wide acceptance of web-and mobilebased applications and positive impact on health behaviors and outcomes.…”